"Yes?"
"If the gate's locked, don't forget you're strong enough to scale it."
Excel ent. I could now add "breaking and entering" to the skil s section of my résumé.
Dagger in boot and in hand, I headed down the Houseded the Hous main staircase to the first floor—and a few feet closer to my chil y car.
I was in the lobby, keys in hand, when Luc and Lindsey came downstairs holding hands, both looking very much in love. Their blooming relationship didn't make my own grief any easier to bear, but if I was playing the dopey-eyed optimist, at least something good had come from Ethan's demise.
"Sentinel," Luc said. "You heading out to check out this water problem?"
"I am."
"First time on the streets in a while."
"First House-related mission in a while, certainly."
"You nervous?"
I thought about my answer for a few seconds. "Not nervous so much as uncomfortable. I know Ethan wasn't always easy to be around. He was a tough teacher, and there were days when I felt like a lump of clay he was trying to mold into something else."
"Like every trip was a teaching point?"
"Like that, yeah," I said with a nod. "But I think he was figuring me out. Learning who I was, and learning that I could be a help to the House on my own, without amendment." I smiled a little in spite of myself. "He was an imperialistic, self-righteous pain in the ass. But he was my pain in the ass, you know? And tonight, I won't be with him.
That definitely feels strange."
Without warning, Luc reached out and gripped me in a chest-crushing bear hug. "You can do this, Sentinel."
I held my breath and patted him on the back until he released me. "Thank you, Luc. I appreciate that."
"You have backup?" Lindsey asked.
"Jonah—the Grey guard captain—volunteered to take point. He's going to meet me downtown. And I can cal my grandfather, of course."
Luc put an arm around Lindsey's shoulder. "You know we're here for you, of course."
"I do. You're two of my favorite vampires."
"You barely tolerate most vampires," Lindsey said with a wink. "So I'm not sure that's saying a lot."
I stuck my tongue out at her, but gestured toward the door. "You wanna walk me outside?"
"Sure thing. I'm heading out for a walk around the grounds anyway." She leaned over and kissed Luc on the cheek. "I'l catch you after shift."
"You know it, Blondie," he said. He gave her butt a slap for good measure, and then offered me a salute. "Bon chance, Sentinel."
Lindsey took my hand and practical y dragged me to the door. But she managed to wait until we were outside and on the sidewalk before the interrogation began.
"So, you're hanging out with Jonah again?"
"Again?" I wondered aloud, not wil ing to commit to an answer until I knew how much she knew.
"Hon, give me some credit. I've been alive a long time, and I'm one of the best guards this House has to offer."
"It's a smal sample," I snarked, but she poked me in the shoulder.
"Focus. I'm pretty sure he's the reason you were glowing a little last night."